Woman was contacted over illegal occupancy of accused

An 89-year-old woman who was murdered in her council house in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was contacted by the local authority in the months before her death, over the illegal occupancy of the property by the man accused of her killing.

Josephine "Josie" Ray of St Joseph's Park, Nenagh, was found strangled and suffocated in her bed on 4 August 2024.

Hasan Ali Gori, 52, originally from Chad, and with an address at St Joseph's Park, Nenagh, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Ray.

At the time, Mr Ali Gori was living in Ms Ray’s home, as he was in a relationship with her daughter, Mary Ray, who has an intellectual disability.

A jury at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick has heard the pensioner and her daughter were long-standing council tenants.

Seamus O’Brien, a community liaison officer with Tipperary County Council, told the court that concerns were raised by neighbours about someone living illegally in the house in April 2024.

Mr O’Brien said he called to the house and informed Josephine Ray that under the terms of her tenancy, no other occupants were allowed live in her home.

He told the court that he felt she was nervous talking to him.

A letter was subsequently sent to Ms Ray outlining complaints received by the council about anti-social behaviour and unauthorised occupancy of the property.

The letter informed Ms Ray that such incidences were not permitted and put her tenancy at risk.

Another community liaison officer, Majella Madigan, gave evidence of meeting members of Ms Ray’s family who lived across the road from the pensioner and who were concerned about Mr Ali Gori’s presence in the house.

She advised them to tell Ms Ray that she should get a barring order, but they said it was unlikely the elderly woman would do so.

The court heard that another letter was sent to Ms Ray to inform her that she was in breach of her tenancy because of the illegal occupancy.

The jury was told that gardaí received a report of a domestic disturbance at the house in St Joseph’s Park on the evening of 3 August 2024.

Garda Aoife Shine said when they arrived at the house, she spoke with Mary Ray in the hallway who was upset because her partner, Mr Ali Gori, was "looking and talking to prostitutes on his phone".

The garda said Mr Ali Gori arrived into the kitchen and seemed annoyed and frustrated.

Garda Shine told the court there was no allegation of anything physical and she advised the couple to take some time apart.

She said Mary Ray indicated that she was happy for Mr Ali Gori to remain in the house.

Garda Keith Fitzgerald who accompanied Garda Shine on the call to St Joseph’s Park told the court that Mr Ali Gori told him that he was supposed to be staying in the house due to his immigration status.

The court heard that the gardaí told the couple to be mindful of their neighbours and asked them to keep the noise down.

Garda Fitzgerald told the court that he observed Josephine Ray sitting on a chair outside a house across the road, as he left her home.

The jury was played a recording of the exchange with the gardaí which was subsequently found on a phone during the course of the investigation.

The prosecution case, led by senior counsel Lorcan Connolly, is that Mr Ali Gori strangled and suffocated Josephine Ray.

The court has heard that Ms Ray was very protective of her daughter Mary, and she did not approve of her relationship with Mr Ali Gori.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Seán Gillane.